3 Blind Wines is an event for wine amateurs and blossoming sommeliers alike. Taking place at The Powerhouse on October 10 at 6 pm, you won’t want to miss this chance to build and refine your palate while enjoying a night wine .
“What I love about this event is that it’s simple and fun,” said Wayne Andrews, Director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. “We tend to drive people towards events where they can interact and they know their entertainment dollar is going towards a community cause.”
This will mark the event’s eighth year and while there have been tweaks throughout its lifespan, the event has always maintained the straightforward design.
“It’s gone by so fast,” said Andrews. “We’ve been able to make fun tweaks, but as part of trying to offer regular events we haven’t tried to blow it up. . .We had a mini-auction of gourmet products one year, bands play, and countless games to go along with the event just to give it a new twist.”
Part of this year’s new twist will be that each attendee will have a wine glass to take home with them.
“That’s something nice you can have to keep,” said Andrews. “It’s a green thing, but also looking at the cost of everything we realized how much we’re spending on throw away tumblers that maybe it’s better just to give everyone a glass that has our logo on it.”
The wine that will be filling those glasses can either be purchased by yourself or you can choose the sommelier package which requires you only to show up and drink.
“If you’re just intimidated by wine or you’re worried you’re picking what someone else brought or you just don’t want to have to hassle with it, you can buy the sommelier ticket,” said Andrews. “The great thing is our sommelier picks different wines so we end up with this wide range of wines because they get it at wholesale.”
The sommelier for the event will be AJ Kiamie of Kiamie Wine on Jackson Avenue.
“I am a Level 1 Sommelier and have been in the liquor and wine industry for 15 years,” said Kiamie. “Just a lot of experience in the family business that’s been running for a while.”
The main purpose of Kiamie’s role as sommelier is to alleviate the hassle of picking a wine for the event, and does not make any promises of giving you an advantage in winning the contest.
“You just do the $100 package and we’ll take care of the wines for you,” said Kiamie. “There’s not necessarily an advantage. I know the wine and the flavor profile that’s won but I don’t think it gives anyone an actual advantage.”
Those hoping to game the system and increase their odds of winning will be disappointed to learn it’s not as easy as picking last year’s winner.
“There’s not really a method to the madness,” said Kiami. “After you try so many wines your palate’s fried. It’s usually one of the earlier wines you taste [that you’ll prefer]. By the end they all kind of blend together.”
Committing to taste every wine will have you sampling up to 100 different wines.
“It’s never less than 50 and can be up to 100,” said Kiamie. “Granted everyone won’t make it all the way around.”
A few lucky attendees will walk away with more than just their wine glass. Prizes, including gift certificates you can use to get more wine, will be given throughout the evening for contests such as guessing the amount of corks in a jar and of course there is the grand prize for the person who brings the favorite wine of the night: A bottle of every wine sampled that night.
“It’s about five or six cases of wine, so about $1000 worth of wine,” said Andrews.
If you are purchasing your own wine, you will need to have it dropped off to The Powerhouse by 5 pm the day of the event or if you purchase your wine at one of the four sponsors, they can deliver the wine for you. Purchase your tickets here. 
